# Trevor Ripley: Grading Minnesota's position groups after a 23-13 win in New Orleans, Ripley argues the Vikings own the NFL's best defense and best special teams unit.

**Claimed:** Oct 11, 2026
**Pundit:** Trevor Ripley — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/trevor-ripley
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/vikings-week-5-report-card-grading-every-position-after-23-13-win-against-saints-01m4ny58a0mx

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> The Vikings arguably have the best defense and the best special teams unit in the NFL.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Minnesota Vikings defense to be the best in the league**
  - Kind: Position Group Finish · About: Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings

## What others said about the same people

- Adam Carlson on Jordan Addison: Carlson names three Vikings he expects could be traded before the end of September: quarterback J.J. McCarthy, wide receiver Jordan Addison and linebacker Ivan Pace. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/65e3f9cf-c441-42a2-baaf-7cd3dbebafad (scored 0)
- Adam Carlson on Minnesota Vikings: Carlson argues Minnesota's pass rush, pass defense and T.J. Hockenson's matchup advantage will carry the Vikings to a road win over the Saints in Week 5, leaving them undefeated heading into the bye. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/97f18e8e-a8ca-48d6-8578-c77344a4dc86 (scored 100)
- Grant Chachere on Minnesota Vikings: Chachere expects Minnesota's defense to carry the Vikings past the Saints despite the Vikings' poor offense, predicting a 17-14 Minnesota win. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ed56545e-25a0-4fb4-890a-ef9f8b9d2860 (scored 83.33)
- Doug Joubert on Minnesota Vikings: Joubert picks the unbeaten Vikings to beat the Saints in New Orleans, predicting a 31-28 Minnesota win. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9fb49a01-3132-4548-9589-e33a51458fe4 (scored 83.33)
- Dan Parr on Minnesota Vikings: Parr picked every Week 5 game with scores, leaning on Chicago's ground game at Lambeau, Seattle's defense against the unbeaten 49ers, and the Rams handling Buffalo on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0c10b52a-0a51-43ee-a55a-78a478f3c2b3 (scored 83.33)
- Brooke Cersosimo on Minnesota Vikings: Cersosimo picked winners and scores across the Week 5 slate, including the Vikings moving to 5-0 in New Orleans, the Browns at the Jets, the Colts at Pittsburgh and the Falcons over a Lamar-less Baltimore. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bd69c182-b54d-4692-912f-0dd26817dafb (scored 80.95)

## More position group finish

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Jason La Canfora on Baltimore Ravens: Recapping Baltimore's overtime win in Atlanta, La Canfora predicted the Ravens' late-game defense will keep ranking among the league's worst until the pass rush produces real closers, and said rookie center Vega Ioane will give way to trade acquisition Cam Jurgens at center next week once Jurgens clears concussion protocol. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1ad2680c-3df7-4ed0-bd04-c0e2b686b5b1 (not settled)
- Nate Tice on Seattle Seahawks: Tice picked the Seahawks to beat the 49ers in Seattle in Week 5, citing Seattle's discipline, and said Seattle's defense is at worst the second-best in the league. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8dd9735c-f718-4d9a-9693-d5fe6fa2547b (not settled)
- Matt Harmon on Seattle Seahawks: Harmon also picked the Seahawks to win in Week 5 and said Seattle's defense is at worst the second-best in the league. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/48c285e0-874a-41cb-8c04-6427059f93ad (not settled)
- Bill Barnwell on Detroit Lions: In his quarter-season awards column, Barnwell makes clear his selections reflect who has played best through four weeks rather than who will win the awards; his few forward-looking claims are that Josh Simmons will reclaim the Chiefs' left tackle job once healthy and that the secondaries of the Bears, Falcons, Browns and Lions will look like four of the league's weakest by season's end. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/39e77959-3595-43eb-be15-151631bfcd48 (not settled)
- Matt Brogan on Kansas City Chiefs: Brogan expects the Chiefs to finish around 13-4, with Patrick Mahomes throwing for at least 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns, Kenneth Walker rushing for 1,600-1,700 yards if he stays healthy, and the pass rush climbing to roughly middle of the pack in sacks. He also ranked all 32 quarterbacks for the show's "Cousins/Darnold line" segment. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/af714b63-6589-4c99-9fc1-273ec5dd0eae (not settled)
- Julian Council on Carolina Panthers: After reviewing the Panthers' first four games, Council predicts Carolina finishes the season as a top-10 offense, driven by Bryce Young finishing top 10 in passing yards. He also forecasts offensive line depth chart outcomes: Taylor Moten reclaiming right tackle when healthy, Ikem Ekwonu eventually returning as the starting left tackle, and rookie Monroe Freeling settling in as the third tackle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8c6bccdd-c9be-401c-92ba-efdfd578f2a4 (not settled)

---

Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=trevor-ripley